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Defining Justice: Sandel’s hunger for ethical questions

By Chung Ah-young Here is a hypothetical question: if you have to choose to kill one person to save five others and if doing nothing, the five would die in front of you, what would you do? Michael J. Sandel, American political scientist and professor at Harvard University, asks such questions for moral reasoning in his book “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do,” which has recently been published in Korea. His philosophical reasoning and moral search have become a sensation not only in the United States but also here in Korea. As soon as the book was released here, it sold more than 300,000 copies, marking a rare record in the political philosophy genre. The book deals with ethical dilemmas in a down-to-earth manner through various examples and cases with open endings. The topics are based on his lectures at Harvard for some 30 years and through dialogue with students during his courses. The 57-year-old came to Korea to hold a lecture organized by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies for Korean students. “I have been astonished and surprised at the recepti

Aug 20, 2010

Book gives keen insight into Korean history

By Chung Ah-young “A Review of Korean History” written by Han Young-woo, professor emeritus at Seoul National University, explores the nation’s history from its birth to the present. The English version of the Korean history book published by Kyongsaewon Publishing translated by Hahm Chai-bong is divided into three volumes _ “Ancient/Goryeo Era,” “Joseon Era” and “Modern/Contemporary Era”_ along with detailed descriptions and some 700 photos and illustrations. Since the first edition of the book was published in 1997 with a revised edition in 2004, it has become a steady-seller in Korea with 39 editions until the end of 2009. The book was also translated into Japanese in 2003 by Akashi Shoten Publishing. The first volume of the English rendition illustrates the roots of Korean history, old Joseon and other ancient states along with the Three Kingdoms. The second volume focuses on the Joseon Kingdom from its foundation to the reform of the ruling system, economic development, culture, internal conflicts and foreign invasions. The third volume probes the birth and g

Aug 18, 2010

Park Wan-seos reflections on 40 years of writing

By Chung Ah-young Revered novelist Park Wan-seo, who is seeing the 40th anniversary of her debut on the literary scene this year, seems more eager to reflect on her writing career and personal life rather than celebrate the occasion. In “The Road Not Taken Is More Beautiful,” the 79-year-old offers her short essays written over the past four years that constitute her personal experiences and thought-provoking issues through her poignant eyes with a care for society. Born in 1931 in Gaepung-gun, Gyeonggi Province now in North Korea, the author experienced the Korean War (1950-53) and was separated from her mother and brother during it. But she takes her memories of the war as her fictional inspirations in her numerous works. “I think if I had no experience of the war, I might have not become a novelist, because a lot of stories related to the war have inspired my work and are likely to do in my future works,” she writes. Park often talks about the healing power and condolence of novels that can be shared by writers and readers alike as the main virtue of the genr

Aug 13, 2010

Recent books

Olle Spirit Suh Myung-sook; Book House: 388 pp., 15,000 won The Olle trails in Jeju Island have become a must for both foreign and local visitors in only a short period of time. There are numerous guide books that offer ways to enjoy the scenic paths, but this new book provides something different. The book stands out for the sole fact that it was penned by Suh Myung-sook, the founder of the Jeju Olle. In her previous book ``Walking Jeju,’’ the journalist of 23 years shared how she managed to come up with such an idea, but in ``Olle Spirit’’ she writes about the future of the trails and her life. The writer offers personal stories rather than listing tourist information and famous restaurants, and this actually makes the reader to want visit even more. ``People tell me that I must lead a happy life. This is partly true, and I hope everyone who reads the book feels happy as well. I hope to meet you all and say hello on the trails,’’ she writes in the preface. -Han Sang-hee Don’t Imagine Travel Without Museums Lee Byung-hak; Dream Map; 320 pp., 13,800 won Mus

Aug 13, 2010

Uigwe return results from civic groups efforts

By Chung Ah-young Japan plans to return “Uigwe” or the royal protocols of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) to Korea as Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said in his apology statement to mark the 100th anniversary of Japan’s forced annexation of Korea on Tuesday. Regarding the decision, Kim Ui-jung, head of the Joseon Dynasty Uigwe Recovery Committee, said that “it is the result of the civic groups’ efforts to retrieve the lost treasures” in a statement. “The return of the Uigwe means more than the apology from the Japanese Premier. The recovery of the treasure will help the two countries make a landmark development in relations based on understanding and friendship,” Ven. Hyemun, general director of the committee, said. The Uigwe is a unique collection of records of rites and rituals, which prescribe through prose and illustration the major ceremonies and rites of the royal family through its 500-year history. The documents now kept in Japan consisting of 81 books were originally stored at an archive at Mt. Odae and taken to Tokyo by the Japan’s governor-general offi

Aug 10, 2010

Recent Books

City Branding Yoon Young-seok and Kim Woo-hyung; Unitas Brand: 208 pp., 15,000 won Being a New Yorker means so much more than simply residing in the Big Apple. The phrase conjures up the pride of the citizens who lead global trends in the arts, culture and economy. The book looks into the power of cities such as New York in terms of “branding.” Today, the influence of cities’ brands is getting bigger. Bilbao, a small mine city, turned into a cultural city as the location of a Guggenheim Museum. Also, Basel, a Swiss city, is a case in point for successful branding as it is now known as a city of the arts, home to more than 30 museums, 50 galleries and 20 small theaters. Seoul has recognized the importance of city-branding. The municipal government increased its budget for city marketing from 4 billion won in 2007 to 40 billion won to redesign the city. As a result, it was selected as one of the most sought-after cities Asians want to visit, according to AC Nielson in 2008. The book informs readers about the overseas marketing strategy of Seoul from 2007 to 2010 by Yoon,

Aug 6, 2010

No One touches hopeless, unstable reality

By Chung Ah-young Novelist Kim Young-ha who is widely known in other countries for translations of his works in various languages has returned with a new book for the first time in six years. Crossing the boundaries of various genres of narratives to capture modern life in his stylish writing, Kim describes the pieces of our lives mixed with ambiguity, instability and confusion in “No One Knows What Happened.” The book consists of 13 short stories revolving around bizarre characters from diverse backgrounds under dark, bleak and heavy themes but in an intriguing style. Most of the stories here are tinged with a sense of loss that happens to anyone living in today’s society. “Travel” is the representative story in this

Aug 6, 2010

Graphic novel emerges as comics for adults

By Chung Ah-young Staff reporter In the past, comics were regarded as the genre for maniacs, mostly children or nerdy adolescents, with fantasy or superheroes stories. However, recently, the traditional comic industry has waned probably prompted by the advent of the digital era. Instead, a graphic novel, which remains relatively unfamiliar in Korea despite a rapid global spreading, is knocking on the door of the local publishing industry. Often called “comics for adults,”the graphic novel is similar in a conventional comic format with reliance on images but with more subtle, artistic quality alongside mature and serious themes. It has a longer storyline and a complicated plot akin to the novel structures, usually packed with a hardcover. The Creek and River Korea and the Taewon Entertainment will publish a graphic novel based on the popular television drama series “Iris” starring hallyu star Lee Byung-hun and top actress Kim Tae-hee. The drama broadcast here last year and now is airing in Japan. The graphic novel will be published around September first in Japan right

Jul 30, 2010

Recent Books

Wonderland Seoul Jung Jae-in and Lee Jin; Thinking Tree: 308 pp., 14,000 won Seoulites think they know the city well as they live here. However, if they are asked to pick out the best destinations, they might struggle to answer. Many Seoulites know less about the city in which they live than foreign tourists. The book is a guide to the city composed of modern skyscrapers and traditional and natural beautiful landmarks and packages the hot spots by region, consisting of six courses. Each course is comprised of three places with diverse qualities. The courses include the areas of Samseong-dong, Samcheongdong, Myeong-dong, Apgujeongdong and Itaewon and the royal palaces which are conveniently reached by taking the subway. Not only tourist attractions but also the cultural codes are presented in the book by exploring the hot places. Among others, it introduces the traditional markets such as Dongdaemun Market, Namdaemun Market, the Fish Market in Noryangjin and Gwangjang Market to provide a glimpse of the run-of-themill life of Koreans. Colorful photos and detailed in

Jul 30, 2010

Recent Books

All the Meals in the World Kim Seong-yun; Kleinix: 256 pp., 14,000 won Exploring the food of a country seems to be the best way to understand a certain culture. As a quick tour of the world, this book introduces 26 international staple foods. Both European and Asian foods can be sampled in various restaurants here but there have been fewer chances to thoroughly appreciate these principle foods. The book focuses on four areas ― Korean/Asian, European, Middle East/Mediterranean/North African and North American/Central American regions. The book sheds light on naan (leavened, oven-baked flatbread), crepes (thin pancakes made from wheat flour), paella (Valencian rice dish), focaccia (flat oven-baked Italian bread), couscous (pasta made of tiny grains of dough that are steamed) and pita bread (a staple for Middle Eastern food), that are all mostly made of rice, wheat or corn. Along with the assorted meals, the author writes about their origins, includes recipes and provides historical backgrounds coupled with interesting episodes surrounding each food. Moreover, the b

Jul 23, 2010
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